impound
verb
im·pound
im-ˈpau̇nd 
impounded; impounding; impounds
1
a
: to shut up in or as if in a pound : confine
b
: to seize and hold in the custody of the law
c
: to take possession of
she was dismissed and her manuscript impounded—
Jonathan Weiner
Jonathan Weiner2
: to collect and confine (water) in or as if in a reservoir
Examples of impound in a Sentence
The police impounded her car because it was illegally parked.
impound evidence for a trial
Recent Examples on the Web
That said, the Trump administration hasn’t even released the $188 million that Congress appropriated for the fund for the 2025 fiscal year, essentially impounding the funding stream that Congress created in 1976 for historic preservation activities across the nation.
—Michael R. Allen, The Conversation, 25 June 2025
Upon review of the car, and INDYCAR impounding the No. 3 attenuator, INDYCAR found that the car was in fact using a legal and unmodified attenuator.
—Bruce Martin, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
His officials have illegally fired federal workers, impounded congressional appropriations and seized people off the street for deportations to foreign prisons, threatening the same for all U.S. citizens.
—Dan Vergano, Scientific American, 14 May 2025
If Henry’s men would depart, the governor would pay for the powder impounded on the warship.
—Andrew Lawler, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impound
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Michael R. Allen, The Conversation, 25 June 2025
Upon review of the car, and INDYCAR impounding the No. 3 attenuator, INDYCAR found that the car was in fact using a legal and unmodified attenuator.
—Bruce Martin, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
His officials have illegally fired federal workers, impounded congressional appropriations and seized people off the street for deportations to foreign prisons, threatening the same for all U.S. citizens.
—Dan Vergano, Scientific American, 14 May 2025
If Henry’s men would depart, the governor would pay for the powder impounded on the warship.
—Andrew Lawler, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impound
Cite this Entry
“Impound.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impound. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
impound
verb
im·pound
im-ˈpau̇nd
1
: to shut up in or as if in an enclosed place
2
: to seize and hold in the hands of the law
impound evidence for a trial
impoundment
noun
-ˈpau̇n(d)-mənt
Legal Definition
impound
transitive verb
im·pound
im-ˈpau̇nd
: to take control of in the custody of the law or by legal authority
impound a vehicle
the police impounded the dwelling until the search warrant was obtained
impoundment
noun
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